MVCA dinner to recognize companies 'creating a bright future'

Nonprofit seeks to boost capital and talent for venture and angel investors to fund entrepreneurship in the state

300 expected to attend

The Michigan Venture Capital Association will recognize 10 nominees for "creating a bright future for Michigan" at the MVCA Annual Awards Dinner in October.

The nonprofit expects to welcome 300 people to dine in Eastern Market's Shed 3 for the Oct. 2 event. Gov. Rick Snyder will co-host the awards show highlighting companies, talent and capital powering the growth of entrepreneurship and investments in Michigan, a news release said.

Founded in 2002, MVCA seeks to boost capital and talent for venture and angel investors to fund entrepreneurship in the state.

"Michigan has always been a pioneer for entrepreneurship and we're proud to celebrate the investors, entrepreneurs, and organizations who are building on this legacy," MVCA Executive Director Maureen Miller Brosnan said in the release. "We're proud to work alongside Governor Snyder, MEDC and Renaissance Venture Capital Fund to shine a light on the incredible talent, research and ideas in the state."

The MVCA will crown a winner in each of the following three categories:

TechTown Detroit, an incubator and accelerator that offers programs for tech and neighborhood small businesses

Up-and-Coming Company of the Year:

Blue Medora Inc., a maker of software to monitor performance of large IT companies' cloud-based applications, based in Grand Rapids

Clinc Inc., a fast-growing Ann Arbor company that makes artificial intelligence software that financial institutions use to interact with customers

May Mobility Inc., a driverless shuttle fleet based in Ann Arbor that made its first deployment in downtown Detroit this year

Strata Oncology Inc., an Ann Arbor life science company that provides health systems and pharma companies with systematized precision oncology

Winners will be selected by MVCA members. The board of directors will select a Lifetime Achievement Award honoree to recognize a person who has had a hand in building Michigan's entrepreneurial and investment community.

The event is a part of a multiday networking series called Start MI UP: Michigan Ventures Forward, presented by the Michigan Economic Development Corp., to show off entrepreneurs in Detroit and Ann Arbor. Renaissance Venture Fund will also host UnDemo Day in Ann Arbor.

More information about the awards dinner and networking week can be found here.